DOTC set to award MRT3 contract

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is set to finally award the one-year contract for the maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) amid the delay in the bidding process for the expansion project of the mass rail transit along EDSA.

DOTC Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla said in an interview that the agency’s bids and awards committee (BAC) that the post qualification process for the one-year maintenance contract for MRT3 would be completed soon.

The DOTC is now conducting bid evaluation and post-qualification for the MRT3 interim maintenance service provider wherein Autre Porte Technique Global Inc. qualified with a bid of P685 million.

“In all likelihood, the process will be finished,” Lotilla stressed.

The tandem of Asiaphil Manufacturing Industries Inc. and Korea Railroad as well as Commbuilders & Technology Philippines Corp. failed to qualify for the one-year temporary maintenance service contract for MRT3 system worth P712.77 million.

The DOTC has extended the contract for the provision of interim maintenance services for MRT3 of the PH Trams CB & T joint venture twice.

Last October, the DOTC awarded a contract for the maintenance of the MRT3 to PH Trams. The interim maintenance provider of the MRT 3 is for six months while it conducts the procurement process for a regular maintenance provider for the train line.

PH Trams was awarded the contract as it offered the lowest monthly maintenance cost of $1.15 million compared to two other firms which submitted proposals such as Sumitomo TES-P Inc. and Miescor Railway/Genials JV.

The original contract expired last April 19 but the DOTC granted a two-month extension of the contract of PH Trams to June 19 for a total consideration of $2.3 million. The interim contract was extended for another two months to Aug. 19 for a total consideration of $2.3 million.

The maintenance contract between the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) and Japanese firm Sumitomo Corp. has been extended four times.

DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya earlier explained that the extension is merely an emergency measure to maintain status quo in the operations of the DOTC and to avoid interruption of service and that the current service provider has not violated any provision of the original contract.

He added that the contract extension is being undertaken due to circumstances beyond its control and that the agency could not award a new contract within a month after the expiration of the original contract.